


Some Hits Aren't Supposed to Make Their Mark

by Delitescent



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, F/F, Silver Snow spoilers, alternate angst ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 12:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20693366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delitescent/pseuds/Delitescent
Summary: This wasn't the way it was supposed to end.





	Some Hits Aren't Supposed to Make Their Mark

“Professor… I suppose you think you can defeat me. Is that right?” Edelgard began, drawing her weapon. Amyr’s crest stone was dimly lit, in contrast to the empty placeholder in the Sword of Creation where the Crest of Flames should have been. “But I will never give up. Even if my arms and legs failed me, I would still find a way to move forward.”

Byleth’s infamous blanked-out face was having a hard time keeping itself together. Her gloveless fingers gripped her sword tightly, enough for her hand to tremble.

_This wasn’t the way it was supposed to end. This wasn’t the way Byleth wanted it to end either._

“I will smash that false goddess and her minion into the ground! I will fight to free this world from her vile grasp!” 

The former teacher had no chance to respond with the words she wanted to protest with. 

Edelgard’s hero relic came slamming down, narrowly missing Byleth who had parried at the last second.

It reminded her of the time in the Goddess Tower. Both of the night of the ball and the night of their reunion. A memory that would continue to replay months after it occurred. ‘Even though our swords may cross as they do now,’ Edelgard would say, before their swords clashed once more. ‘There’s no denying that our chosen paths never will.’ She’d then turn around, a wistful tone tinged her voice, ‘Goodbye, my teacher. When next we meet, one of us will breathe our last.’

Byleth will never forget her student’s back disappearing into the darkness. 

The woman with the power of a progenitor god, sliced through the air, her sword unconsciously aiming for Edelgard’s shield. The Sword of The Creator bounced from the metal, giving a moment of leeway for a counterattack. Amyr scraped against the metal of Byleth’s shoulder plate, shattering it to pieces just before she could block it from cutting her skin. 

The feeling of the legendary axe almost plunging into her flesh, brought about another memory.  
Her first rewind of time. Byleth couldn’t remember what was going through her mind at the time, but she does remember throwing herself in front of a stranger, effectively ending her own life within a split second. Or her life should have ended. Time had gone back, and allowed Byleth to save both herself and Edelgard. 

Byleth will never forget the many times her student would give thanks.

After a moment of hesitation, Byleth realized the words Edelgard had spoken so long ago were true. If it was fated that one of them had to die, without even realizing it, Byleth had already chosen her answer to which one of them were to breathe their last.

There were two times Byleth had cried in her lifetime.

The first was when her father died.

The second was when Edelgard’s axe impaled her.

The weapon had gone right through Byleth’s upper body, slightly missing her non-beating heart. It was a swing that was never supposed to have made it’s hit. 

Edelgard gasped out in terror, her fingers jumping from the axe as if it had burned her. She had just inflicted a mortal wound on the very person she never wanted to hurt. “Why—Why didn’t you dodge that?!” She stood in shock, knees threatening to buckle out from underneath her. 

Byleth’s body lurched forward, the weight of Amyr dragging her down. Breath caught in her throat, Edelgard instinctively rushed to catch her teacher. The Emperor could feel the warm liquid that leaked from Byleth’s wound seep into her battle wear. The outfit slowly dyed a dark crimson color. 

“Professor!” Edelgard cried out, her hands scrambling to find a hold on Byleth that wouldn’t cause more pain. 

Lacking even the energy to embrace Edelgard, blood bubbled from her pale lips. “I just..,” Byleth struggled for air in the midst of the fluid that continued to pour from both her chest and mouth. “I didn’t want to lose you, too.” The expressionless face Byleth usually wore contorted into one of regret—tears dampening her cheeks. 

Edelgard wasn't even given a chance to respond. It was over all too soon when Byleth’s head fell to the side. Her eyes closed from the last smile she tried to give.

The emperor sat still, utterly horrified. She was unable to understand the situation. What had just happened had not settled in. Byleth's lifeless body was limp in her arms. Edelgard tensed, bringing Byleth closer to her than they ever had been. Burying her face into the crook of the former professor's neck, salty water slid down her cheeks. 

The Edelgard who cried had died a long time ago, or so she thought. The emotions she had swallowed down for so long made their appearance. 

The times at the monastery flooded her mind. The peaceful memories of a certain professor calling her out, asking if Edelgard would like to have tea. She will never forget the first time Byleth had prepared her favorite tea. Or the time they went to the docks to fish their Sunday away. As well as the time they planted their first carnation together while learning the language of flowers.

The emperor's heart thundered loudly, as if it could've overworked itself right then and there before taking it's last beat. A horrible thought, but she would've been okay with that. 

Sorrowful apologies one after another were whimpered between the midst of the sobs that racked Edelgard's body. "All this time… My teacher.., I just wanted to walk with you."

She had taken the life of the person she had come to love. Something so precious was gone in an instant. 

After what seemed like hours had passed, the doors to the throne room opened once more.

The emperor whom everyone called detached,  
The emperor whom everyone called a monster,  
was crying with the body of their professor in her arms.

Her former classmates, the former Black Eagles, stood there, the emotions on their face all too readable.

_This wasn’t the way it was supposed to end. This wasn’t the way Edelgard wanted it to end either._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I tried to make this one-shot seem rushed or paced fast as it represents how fast things can happen irl and how quickly you can lose people.


End file.
